In a first aspect, there is described an optical system for monitoring a ball play volume of a roulette wheel. The optical system comprises an electronic image detector and a reflector arranged to reflect light from a ball play volume of a roulette wheel onto the electronic image detector. The electronic image detector is configured to form an image of the ball play volume from the reflected light. In a second aspect, there is described a method of monitoring a ball play volume of a roulette wheel. The method comprises the steps of using a reflector to reflect light from the ball play volume, and forming an image of the ball play volume from the reflected light. In a third aspect, there is described a method of manufacturing an optical system for monitoring a ball play volume of a roulette wheel. The method comprises the steps of providing an electronic image detector, and providing a reflector arranged to reflect light from a ball play volume of a roulette wheel onto the electronic image detector.
Legal claims defining the scope of protection. Each claim is shown in both the original legal language and a plain English translation.
1. An optical system for monitoring a ball play volume of a roulette wheel, comprising: an electronic image detector; a convex reflector arranged to receive light from a ball play volume of a roulette wheel and reflect the received light onto the electronic image detector, wherein the electronic image detector is configured to form an image of the ball play volume from the reflected light; and an image processor is configured to generate video image data from the formed image, and wherein the image processor is further configured to sample different data portions of the generated video image data, each sampled data portion corresponding to a respective image portion of the formed image, and each image portion being associated with a corresponding region of the ball play volume; wherein the image processor is further configured to determine an angular velocity or a deceleration of a ball within the ball play volume by comparing a first data portion of the video image data sampled at different times, the first data portion corresponding to a respective first image portion associated with a corresponding region of the ball play volume in which the ball track of the roulette wheel is located.
An optical system monitors a roulette wheel's ball play using an electronic image detector and a convex reflector. The reflector captures light from the ball play area and directs it to the detector, which forms an image. An image processor analyzes this image to create video data. The processor samples specific portions of the video data, each related to a zone in the ball play area. By comparing these data samples over time from the ball track region, the system determines the ball's angular velocity or deceleration as it travels around the track.
2. The optical system of claim 1 , wherein the image processor is further configured to determine a no more bets point by determining when a speed of the ball drops below a predetermined threshold.
The optical system described previously also determines the "no more bets" point by monitoring the ball's speed and comparing it to a predefined threshold. When the ball's speed drops below this threshold, the system signals that bets should no longer be accepted.
3. The optical system of claim 1 , wherein the image processor is further configured to determine a drop zone of the ball by determining an angular position of the ball with respect to the cylinder of the roulette wheel, when during its deceleration the ball leaves the ball track of the roulette wheel.
The optical system described previously also determines the ball's drop zone by tracking its angular position relative to the roulette wheel's center. Specifically, it captures the ball's position at the exact moment when, during its deceleration, the ball leaves the ball track.
4. An optical system for monitoring a ball play volume of a roulette wheel, comprising: an electronic image detector; a convex reflector arranged to receive light from a ball play volume of a roulette wheel and reflect the received light onto the electronic image detector, wherein the electronic image detector is configured to form an image of the ball play volume from the reflected light; and an image processor is configured to generate video image data from the formed image, and wherein the image processor is further configured to sample different data portions of the generated video image data, each sampled data portion corresponding to a respective image portion of the formed image, and each image portion being associated with a corresponding region of the ball play volume; wherein the image processor is further configured to determine an angular velocity or a deceleration of the cylinder of the roulette wheel by comparing a second data portion of the video image data sampled at different times, the second data portion corresponding to a respective second image portion associated with a corresponding region of the ball play volume in which at least a portion of the number ring of the roulette wheel or at least a portion the ball pockets of the roulette wheel are located.
An optical system monitors a roulette wheel's ball play using an electronic image detector and a convex reflector. The reflector captures light from the ball play area and directs it to the detector, which forms an image. An image processor analyzes this image to create video data. The processor samples specific portions of the video data, each related to a zone in the ball play area. By comparing these data samples over time from the number ring or ball pockets region, the system determines the cylinder's (wheel's) angular velocity or deceleration.
5. An optical system for monitoring a ball play volume of a roulette wheel, comprising: an electronic image detector; a convex reflector arranged to receive light from a ball play volume of a roulette wheel and reflect the received light onto the electronic image detector, wherein the electronic image detector is configured to form an image of the ball play volume from the reflected light; and an image processor is configured to generate video image data from the formed image, and wherein the image processor is further configured to sample different data portions of the generated video image data, each sampled data portion corresponding to a respective image portion of the formed image, and each image portion being associated with a corresponding region of the ball play volume; wherein the image processor is further configured to determine a ball pocket of the roulette wheel in which a ball is resting by comparing a third data portion of the video image data sampled at different times, the third data portion corresponding to a respective third image portion associated with a corresponding region of the ball play volume in which the ball pockets of the roulette wheel are located.
An optical system monitors a roulette wheel's ball play using an electronic image detector and a convex reflector. The reflector captures light from the ball play area and directs it to the detector, which forms an image. An image processor analyzes this image to create video data. The processor samples specific portions of the video data, each related to a zone in the ball play area. By comparing data samples over time from the ball pocket region, the system identifies the specific pocket where the ball comes to rest.
6. An optical system for monitoring a ball play volume of a roulette wheel, comprising: an electronic image detector; a convex reflector arranged to receive light from a ball play volume of a roulette wheel and reflect the received light onto the electronic image detector, wherein the electronic image detector is configured to form an image of the ball play volume from the reflected light; and an image processor is configured to generate video image data from the formed image, and wherein the image processor is further configured to sample different data portions of the generated video image data, each sampled data portion corresponding to a respective image portion of the formed image, and each image portion being associated with a corresponding region of the ball play volume; wherein the image processor is further configured to determine when an object enters or leaves the ball play volume by comparing data portions of the video image data sampled at different times.
An optical system monitors a roulette wheel's ball play using an electronic image detector and a convex reflector. The reflector captures light from the ball play area and directs it to the detector, which forms an image. An image processor analyzes this image to create video data. The processor samples specific portions of the video data, each related to a zone in the ball play area. By comparing data samples over time, the system detects when an object (like a hand) enters or exits the ball play area.
7. The optical system of any of claim 1 , 4 , 5 , or 6 , wherein the reflector is a mirror, and the mirror is aspherical.
The optical systems for roulette wheel monitoring described for claims 1, 4, 5, and 6 use a mirror as the reflector, where the mirror has an aspherical shape.
8. The optical system of claim 1 , 4 , 5 , or 6 , wherein the image processor is implemented in software.
The optical systems for roulette wheel monitoring described for claims 1, 4, 5, and 6 implement the image processor using software.
9. A method of monitoring a ball play volume of a roulette wheel, comprising the steps of: using a convex reflector to receive light from the ball play volume and reflect the received light on to an electronic image detector; forming an image of the ball play volume from the reflected light at the electronic image detector using an image processor to generate video image data from the formed image; sampling different data portions of the generated video image data, each sampled data portion corresponding to a respective image portion of the formed image, and each image portion being associated with a corresponding region of the ball play volume; and comparing a first data portion of the video image data sampled at different times, the first data portion corresponding to a respective first image portion associated with a corresponding region of the ball play volume in which the ball track of the roulette wheel is located, so as to determine an angular velocity or a deceleration of a ball within the ball play volume.
A method monitors a roulette wheel's ball play using a convex reflector to capture light from the ball play area and direct it to an electronic image detector. The detector forms an image of the ball play area. An image processor generates video data from the image and samples portions of this data, each related to a specific zone in the ball play area. By comparing data samples over time from the ball track region, the method calculates the ball's angular velocity or deceleration as it travels around the track.
10. The method of claim 9 , further comprising the step of determining when a speed of the ball drops below a predetermined threshold so as to determine a no more bets point.
The method of monitoring a roulette wheel, described in the previous claim, additionally determines the "no more bets" point. It achieves this by monitoring the ball's speed and comparing it to a pre-defined threshold. When the ball's speed drops below this threshold, the method indicates that bets should no longer be accepted.
11. The method of claim 9 , further comprising the step of determining a drop zone by determining an angular position of the ball with respect to the rotational axis of the roulette wheel, wherein the angular position is the angular position of the ball at the point where the ball, during its deceleration, leaves the ball track of the roulette wheel.
The method of monitoring a roulette wheel, described in the previous claim, also determines the ball's drop zone. This is achieved by tracking the ball's angular position relative to the roulette wheel's rotational axis at the moment when, during deceleration, the ball leaves the ball track.
Cooperative Patent Classification codes for this invention. Click any code to explore related patents in that topic.
November 1, 2012
August 1, 2017
Browse 5M+ US patents with plain-English claim translations and AI-generated analysis.